cheap VCR's, camcorders, and capturing VHS.

[creature]

hello...
i'm going to try and explain what sort of issues i can't work around...My english may not be the best, but bare with me

I've been trying to convert my VHS tapes onto DV (or - directly on my editing software final cut/imovie)
.
I've got a JVC GR-DV500E camera, which (as far as the manual says- it) supports dubbing from a VCR. It doesn't say anything about "passthrough" though (something that is mentioned everywhere in regard to this issue). A bit confused on that...

Also, I've bought a cheap and simple Sharp VCR, which i don't know if it supports such a procedure...

I've connected the camcorder to the VCR using the scart provided with the camera. I haven't got an s/video cable, but the manual says is not necessary (is that true?). Anyway...I've tried capturing VHS onto the miniDV first (without connecting it to the computer) but it didn't work. I didn't get anything recorded on DV.
I then tried using iMovie to capture the VHS through the camera
...still didn't work.

Do i need some specific sort of VCR to capture on to DV or not?
If yes, what should i look fr...I'm not doing this professionally, so i'm not looking for something expensive.

[anonjon]

I'm currently capturing my VHS' through my camcorder as well. There is no special kind of VCR you must have to do this; all you need is both audio and video going into the cam, the camcorder set to A/V in & DV out, and firewire going to the computer.

Now, you said you don't have S-Video. Do you have composite video( yellow cable ) going into the cam? You need some form of video going into it.

Have you set any of your cam options to allow DV out and A/V in? You need to.

Update us when you can.

[creature]

i've done all the things you've said i should...

the only things i'm not quite sure that i got right is, the AV in / DV out. I'm quite sure my camcorder has DV out ...i remember that i looked for a camcorder that has DVout.....BUT i can't see it anywhere on my cam...I can get "AV in" in the menu, but no DVout.

my camcorder is JVC GR-DV500E

thanks

[anonjon]

I can't find your cam on JVC.com. Can you get me a link to its specs?

Cheers,
Tyler <><

P.S. Are you American? British? Is this a PAL or NTSC device? I take it English is not your first language if you began by warning your usage might not be perfect. You're doing fine, but I'm wondering if your being out of the USA has anything to do with the fact that I can't find your model on their website. Cheers!

[creature]

http://books.jvcservice.com/download/378947019/34353.pdf

this is the only link i could find that's relative..

i'm european so: PAL is the device....

[edDV]

i've done all the things you've said i should...

the only things i'm not quite sure that i got right is, the AV in / DV out. I'm quite sure my camcorder has DV out ...i remember that i looked for a camcorder that has DVout.....BUT i can't see it anywhere on my cam...I can get "AV in" in the menu, but no DVout.

my camcorder is JVC GR-DV500E

thanks

Is this your model?
The DV port is lower left.



http://www.amazon.com/JVC-GRDV500-MiniDV-Camcorder-Optical/dp/B0000899YH

[creature]

yes that's the one...i've connected the DVout cable to my mac...still doesn't work..

[lordsmurf]

Does the JVC have passthrough?

[creature]

that's something i don't know...
how do i know if it does?

[edDV]

What do you mean it doesn't work? Your Mac can't find the camcorder? Can't control it?

[edDV]

that's something i don't know...
how do i know if it does?

Read your manual. The North American model has it. See the link above:
"Built-in analog-to-digital converter that converts analog audio-video signal to a digital signal, and can be recorded to a DV tape" The is analog input to tape but not "pass through".

In Europe, tax policy caused many of these features (e.g. analog inputs and pass through) to be deleted by the manufacturers.

[creature]

the firewire connection seems fine...Final Cut detects the camera,but when i press play on the VCR nothing happens. Just black screen on the camcorder and nothing on the 'log and capture' window.


So...could it be that the camcorder hasn't got the ONLY thing i wanted it to have?

[creature]

i know it's supposed to have it though...i've done what it says in the manual...

[ronnylov]

Maybe you should put in a DV tape in the camcorder and hit record on the camcorder and play on the VCR to transfer the video to the miniDV tape. Then maybe you can transfer the miniDV tape from the camcorder to the mac.

[creature]

Maybe you should put in a DV tape in the camcorder and hit record on the camcorder and play on the VCR to transfer the video to the miniDV tape. Then maybe you can transfer the miniDV tape from the camcorder to the mac.

yep, tried that...is it supposed to show on the dv cam screen what is been recorded? If yes, it doesn't. But even if it doesn't need to show anything, when i try to playback the "recorded" miniDV, there's nothing....

weird.

pffffffff